We wanted to savor our final few days in Mexico. So instead of heading straight for the border, we lingered in one more magical town and cycled through a countryside dotted with picturesque lakes. We finally said “good-bye” to Mexico at a little-used border crossing at the top of a really big hill. During our first couple of days in Guatemala we cycled along a quiet road lined with scenic rock formations - until we took refuge from the rain in a woodland bungalow, at a quirky and off-the-beaten-path recreational park.

Departing Arriaga, Mexico we had nowhere to go but up. First, we cycled upwards from the hot and humid coastal plain through the gorgeous Sierra Madre del Sur, where a close encounter with wild coatis boosted our spirits. Next we crossed a broad, highland valley that took us to the state’s bustling capital city. But it was the second big climb, up onto the high Chiapas Plateau that nearly did us in. After gaining a mile and a half in elevation in a single day, we cycled into the magical town of San Cristóbal de las Casas - exhausted but victorious. San Cristóbal ended up being a wonderful place to hang out, becoming one of our favorite cities in Mexico.

After a wonderful layover in Oaxaca, we saddled up and cycled down the Pan-American Highway towards Guatemala. The road took us eastward through the heartland of mezcal production, then over a series of high mountain passes. After descending onto the Pacific coastal plain, we battled both the fierce winds that blow across the narrowest part of Mexico and a mysterious animal we found in our hotel room in the middle of the night. Our final stop was the bustling commercial hub of Arriaga, where we rested before tackling the big climb back into the Sierras.